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PRECEDENTS AND ORDINANCES 



OF THE 



GENERAL SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI, 



Constming and Interpreting the Institution, 



OR ENFORCINQ ITS PROVISIONS, 



TOGETHER WITH EXISTING 



RULES OF PROCEDURE AND STANDING RESOLUTIONS, 
1783 to 1884, 



/ - '.rs 



■ ■ ^^34 n 



1 

ASA BIED GAEDTsTEE, LL. D., 

(JUDGE ADVOCATE, U. S. ARilY,) 



Member of the General Society Committee on Rules and Ordinances from the 



RHODE ISLAND SOCIETY OF THE CINCINNATI. 



Privatelj' printed for use of General Society. 



09h. 



COIN^TEISTTS. 



Manner of votinij in the General Society 3 

Quorum for business at any General Meeting o 

Delegates to General Meetings, when chosen 4 

Number of delegates appointed by State Societies, and mode of examining Credentials 4 

Result of these precedents. I Credentials, how examined 5 

II. Authorized number of delegates and status of alternates 5 

Rules and Regulations for conducting business of the General Society 5 

The President General t\x officio member of all committees U 

Term of office of General officers 7 

Triennial and Special Meetings, how convened 7 

Expen.ses of General Meetings 7 

Expenses of the Secretary General 7 

Expenses of General officers, how paid 7 

Funds of the General Society, where and how kept 7 

Acts of Incorporation for the State Societies 8 

State Societies re( juired to conform to the Institution 8 

Eligibility to membership of offi cers of the Navy and Marines 8 

Construction given by State Societies relative thereto 8 

Action thereon by the General Society 8 

Service as officers in State regiments when counted 8 

Direct and collateral descent 9 

Proposed but non-adopted amendments to Institution as ti> membership 9 

Failure of ratification !) 

Original and hereditary membership defined 9 

Reorganization of dissolved State Societies 10 

The President General's insigua of the Order 12 

Minutes of General Society Meetings 13 



Copyright, 188-t, by the Rliofle Island State Society of Cincinnati. 



•z- 



\ 




OBJECTS OF THE GENERAL SOCIETY UNDER THE INSTITUTION. 



By the terms of the Institution, the General Society is required, at eieh uiectinsi;, to fully con- 
sider the principles thereof and adopt the best measures to promote them, and also to read and consider 
the circular letters and particular laws of the respective State Societies and concert all measures which 
may conduce to the general intendment of the Order. 

These provisions necessarily include not only a right in the General Society to interpret and 
construe the language of the Institution and compel a conformity with its general intendment, but 
also to make rules and regulations for its own procedure. 



Manner of voting ic At the first meeting of the General Society held in Philadelphia, it was unanimously resolved. 

Rule of'lT84. "^ " ' ou the Gth May, 1784, " that the manner of voting be by the representation of each State Society." 



Rule of 1787. This resolution was reiterated on the 14th May, 17S7, at the Triennial meeting then held in 

Philadelphia. 



Rule of IS-tS. Subsequently, at the Special meeting held in Philadelphia on the 29th November, 1S48, the 

(juestion was formally raised as to whether the General Society did not consist of its officers and a 
representation from each State Society, and a committee was appointed to report at the next Triennial 
meeting on the subject. Meanwhile it was resolved for that particular meeting that, in all questions 
to be decided, each State Society should be entitled to cast throe votes, and each General officer 
one vote, and a majority of all the votes cast should be necessary to a decision. 

Rule of 1851. Finally at the Triennial meeting held in the City of New York, on the 7th May, 1851, the fol- 

lowing ordinance was reported by the Committee and unanimously adopted, viz. : 

" Be it ordained hy the General Society of the Cineinnati, That all the elections of the officers 
of this Society shall be by ballot, and that in such elections, each representation present from a State 
Society shall be entitled to cast five votes ; and each of the officers of the General Society who shall 
be present, shall be entitled to case one vote ; and the majority of all the votes thus cast shall be 
necessary to an election. 

" And he it further Ordained, That in the decision of all resolutions and questions submitted to 
the action of the General Society, the vote shall (upon the request of any delegate I'rom a State 
Society or of any officer present) hs taken in the following manner, viz. : Each representation present 
from a State Society shall be entitled to cast five votes ; and each of the officers of the General 
Society, who shall be present, shall be entitled to cast one vote; and a majority of all the votes thus 
cast shall be neces.sary for an affirmative decision. 

" And upon any question thus brought to a vote, the yeas and nays shall be entered on the 
minutes, at the desire of any three members present, whether delegates or officers." 



Quorum forliusiness at 
uny General meeting. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society held in Philadelphia on the 5th May, 1829, it 
was resolved " that such State Societies and officers of the General Society as convene in general 
meetings, shall be competent to transact business."* 



nolcgatcs to General 
ineetnigs, when chosen. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society held in Philadelphia m the 8th May, 1888, it 
was resolved: " That the different State Societies oi the Cincinnati be requested, annually to appoint 
delegates, to attend any meeting that may be called." 



Xamber of delegates At the first meeting of the General Society, as provided in the In,stitution, held in Philadelphia, 

aiipointeilbyStateSo- ,., ,, ,_n. t-. • i /-, i ttt ■ • > • ■ ^ , ■ ■ ,, ■ i i ^i i. 

cieties. and mode of *"^ May, 1 / 84, President General Washnigton being in the chair, it was " on motion resolved that a 

c.xaniiniiigcreilentials. committee of three be appointed to receive and examine the credentials of the delegates to this meeting 
and report. The members chosen were Mr. Ramsey, Mr. Dearborn, and 31r. Turner." 

1"^^- At the first Triennial meeting of the General Society held in the State House, Philadelphia, 12th 

May, 1787, credentials were produced, read and filed, showing, among others, that the Massachusetts 
State Society had appointed seven delegates " any three to be a representation." No more than the 
last number attended from that State. 



1^51. 



1S54. 



1S55. 



i8r)(;. 



is.-.:. 



At the special meeting held in the City of New York, 7tli IMay, 1851, on motion to that effect, a 
committee was appointed by the President General to examine credentials which reported, among 
others, that the Massachusetts State Society had appointed six delegates, Pennsylvania six, and Mary- 
land nine. The six delegates from Pennsylvania, and also the Assistant Secretary General, who was a 
member from that State Society, but not a delegate, were present. No other State Society had more 
than two delegates present. 

At the Triennial meeting held in Baltimore, 17th May, 1854, the committee to examine creden- 
tials, appointed on motion to that effect, reported eight as the number of delegates accredited by the 
Maryland State Society. No State Society, however, had present more than five delegates. 

At the special meeting held in Charleston, S. C, 7tli February, 1855, the committee, appointed 
by the President General to verify the credentials of delegates, reported that the South Carolina State 
Society had " duly appointed " six delegates, Maryland eight, and Pennsylvania six. None of the 
other State Socities had appointed over three, and no one representation present during the sessions ex- 
ceeded five delegates. 

At the special meeting held in Trenton, 21st May, 1856, the committee, appointed on motion to 
examine credentials, reported, among others, the names of six delegates as " duly appointed " by the 
Pennsylvania State Society. No State Society was, however, represented by more than four delegates 
during the sessions. 

At the Trienui;J meeting held in Boston, 27th May, 1857, it appeared, by the credentials filed, 
that the Massachusetts State Society had appointed ten representatives and Maryland seven. None of 
the other State Socii-ties had appointed over five. The ten representatives from Massachusetts, heredi- 
tary members, including the Hon. Franklin Pierce, ex-President of the United States, were present. 

The committee appointed by the President General, on motion to that effect, to examine creden- 
tials of delegates, reported that they had ■' been regularly appointed," and remarked as follows : 

" The Societies of Massachusetts and Maryland have appoint<>d a larger number of delegates than 
that prescribed by the Constitution, viz., five. 

" The committee are, however, advised that the five gentlemen who are first named on the Massa- 



* By a prior resolve of the 14th May, 1787, the General Society required a representation fi-om seven State 
Societies in order to constitute a quorum for Ijusiness. The eventual dissolution, however, of several of the State 
Societies (which had not previously been forseen) made it necessary to modify this regulation, otherwise the 
objects of a General meeting would have been defeated. 



1860. 



1881. 



Result of tliese prece- 
tleuts. 
I, 



chusetts delegation have been aiitliorizcd to represent that State, and that the number in attendance 
from Maryland is less than that prescribed by the Constitution." 

J'lie five alternates in the Jlassachusetts representation, althouiih not participating in the delibera- 
tions, were accorded the unquestioned privileges of the floor. 

At tlie Triennial meeting held in Pliihuh^lphia, 2d May, 18G0, the Committee on Credentials, ap- 
pointed by the President General, on motion to that effect, reported, among others, as " regularly ap- 
pointed " the names of six delegates from the Ma,ssaehusetts State Society and six from Maryland. 
The full number from either of these States did not, however, attend. 

At the Triennial meeting held in Charleston, S. C, i:5th April, ISSl, the Committee on Creden- 
tials, appointed by the President General, on motion to that efi'eet, reported, among others, five delegates 
and two alternates as appointed by the South Carolina State Society, and five delegates and one alternate 
by the New Jersey State Society. 

Rhode Island had also accredited five delegates and five alternates. 

In each of these instances one of the alternates, by rea.son of the absence of a delegate, became to 
all intents and purposes a delegate and performed such functions. 

The remaining alternates were not present, so that the representation of delegates and altematea 
from any State Society did not in all exceed five. 

From a review of these precedents it is to be collected : 

That the General Society itself a.ssumes to pass upon the credentials of delegates and alternates, 
Credentials, how ex- and to appoint committees of examination thereon when deemed necessary. 

'^"""^ ■ There are but two instances in which the appointment of a Committee on Credentials has not been 

actually based on a prior motion made and carried to that effect, viz. : One at the special meeting in 
Philadelphia of the 2!tth November, 1848, called to fill the vacancy in the ofiice of President General, 
after Major William Popham's decease, when the chairman (the Vice-President General being absent) 
appointed such a committee. 

The other at the special meeting in Charleston, S. C, 7th February, 1855, when the President 
General appointed a committee " to verify the credentials of delegates," which committee, however, 
reported directly to the General Society 

In the earlier meetings and in that held in Boston, 29th May, 1872, the credentials were read to 
the General Society by the proper General officer, and no committee was appointed. 

, . II- As the Institution provides that the General Society shall consist of its General ofiicers and a 

Autlionzeu number of ^ ■ e , c. o • • i i- /. r, r-i • , 

dele<;ates and status representation from each State Society in number not exceeding five, no State Society can have a greater 

of alternates. number of delegates than five, and if a greater number are accredited without the credentials specifying 

whether they are delegates or alternates, only the first five named will be considered to be the delegates. 

As a State Society may. however, desire to keep a full representation in the General meeting, who 

will be conversant with the current busine.ss therein, a reasonable number of alternates may be accredited 

who will be entitled to the privileges of the floor unless the General Society for special reasons may 

d(!termine differently. Such alternates will succeed in the order of precedence to continuous vacancies 

which may occur in their respective State representations, but until then will not have the right of 

participation in any of the proceedings. 



Rules and Regulations 
for conducting busi- 
ness of tlie General 
Society. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society held in Philadelphia on the 14th Jlay, 1787' 
'•■ Rules and Regulations for conducting the business of the General meeting," were submitted by a 
committee of which Brigadier General, the Honorable James M. Varnum was chairman, and unani- 
mously agreed to. 

As subsequently amended they are a.s follows: 



Ist. When the General Society shall assemble for business,* the members shall come to order by taking 
their seats; and no one shall leave the room until the meeting is adjourned— without permission from the Presi- 
ilert-General or Chairman. 

2d. At every General Meeting, after the credentials of the respective niemliers shall have been read, the 
Secretary General shall read the "rules and regulations for conducting the business of the General Meeting," pre- 
vious to any other business.! 

The order of business shall Ije to read the Journals, if any, of tl\e preceding day; then the despatches; 
then the reports of Committees, and then the Order of the day; which being completed, other matters may be 
entertained. 

3d. When in session members shall not speak to one another; liut rising, shall address themselves to the 
President-General or Chairman only. 

4th. All motions, except for adjourning the meeting from day to day, or for postponing the decision of a 
tjuestion, shall be made in writing. 

6th. No motion shall be deliatcd, nor any question taken tliereon — unless the same be seconded. 
6th. All questions shall be decided by a majority of memljers present, unless the vote be taken as pre- 
scribed in the Ordinance of the 7th May, 1851. | 

7th. All officers shall be appointed by ballot, unless a unanimous consent l)e given to a rira voce vote. 
All special committees shall be appointed by ballot, unless a majority determine otherwise. § 

Sth. Ui)on a motion for adjournment, from day to day, the question shall be put, without debate, and shall 
take the place of all other questions. 

9th. No member shall speak more than once, until every other member who chooses shall have spoken to 
the same question ; nor shall any member speak oftener than twice in any case, unless for e.xplanation, and then 
without argument. 

10th. No member shall interrupt anotlier while speaking, uuless lie call liim to order. 

11th. All motions in writing shall be 0|)en to amendment previously to putting the main question, and 
motions for postponing the whole or any part of a question shall be first in order. 

12th. Questions of order shall be determined by the President-General or Chairman without debate; but 
an appeal may be taken to the meeting, in which case, they shall immediately decide, after permitting every mem- 
ber who chooses to speak once. 

13th. In cases to which the preceding rules do not aiipiy, the President-General or Chairman shall con- 
duct the proceedings according to his best discretion. 

Ittli. At every meeting of the General Society of the Cincinnati, the "principles embodied in the Original 
In.stitutiou of the Society, shall be read as a part of the regular proceedings. || 

"^^^x offi^o^nlm-Tm'of '^^ ^^^ ^^^^ meeting of the General Society held in Philadelphia, it was resolved, on the 7th Jlay, 

all committees. 1784, "that the President-General of the meeting of the Cincinnati for the time being, shall ever be 

considered ex officio a member of all committees, and have a right to debate and vote therein whenever 
he may think proper to attend." 



=*' The fii-st portion of tliis rule originaUy reaij t}iat "when seven or more Stotes assemlile for business," &c., Ae,, until amended 
by the rule (ante) adopted Sth May, 1829, 

t This first portion of the 2d Rule was adopted on motion of Brigadier General, the Hon. Ebenezer Huntington, at the adjourned 
Triennial Meeting of the General .Society held in Philadelpliia on the 7th May, 1800. 

X This rule, prior to the resolution of the .">th Blay, 1821), as to a quorum, and tlie temporary rule of 20th November, 1818. aiul tlio 
Ordinance of the 7th May, 1851, (before quoted) read as follows: 

"Gth. AW questions Bh.ill be decided by a majority of State Representationa present, seven making a quorum." 

^ This rule originally read a.s follows : 

" 7th. All officers and special committees shall be appointed by ballot ; bat in other matters wlierein tlie members are not agreed, 
the States shaU be called, and answer by the words. Aye, or No." 

At the Triennial Meeting of the General Society, held in Boston, 30th May, 1872, by vnanimons eonnent a portion of tlie General 
Othcers were elected by acclamation, and since tlien, at several Triennial Meetings, a like course, has been puniued. 

At the Special Meeting held in Trenton on the 21st May, 18oe, in a motion for a special committee, the Vice rresident-Gener.al pre- 
siding, was authorized to appoint it. This has since been frequently done. 

The last clause of the old 7th Rule, as given here, was rescinded by the Ordinance of 7tli May, 1881. 

II This rule was adopted on motion of the Reverend Marinus Willett at the Triennial Meeting of the General .Society, Indd in Boston* 
Ma.ss., on the 20th May, 1872. 



Term of office of Gen- 
eral officers. 



At the Trienniiil mectina; of the Gmieral Society, held in I'hiladelphia on the lilth May, 1787, it 
was unanimously resolved " that the several officers chosen by this Society shall hold their offices until 
the last day of the next General luectin;^. unless others shall be duly elected in their room." 

At the special meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 29th November, 1848, 
the Secretary General, in conformity with a resolution of a previous meeting requesting him " to collect 
from the minutes and proceedings of the Society the diflterent rules and regulatiops that have been from 
time to time adopted, in regard to the election and tenure of * * officers," reported; * 

'• That since the substitution of Special for stated Triennial meetings, the officers have been chosen for 
three years, and thenceforward until a new election takes place." 

This report was adopted. 



Triennial and Special 
meetings, how con- 
vened. 



The General Society has, as a general rule, prior to the conclusion of a meeting, designated when 
and where another General meeting should be held. 

To obviate the difficulties which might arise in an emergency from an inflexible rule, the General 
Society at the Triennial meeting held in Philadelphia, 7th May, 1832, resolved "that the President 
General be authorized to call a meeting of the General Society whenever circumstances may appear to 
render it necessary." 

At the Triennial meeting held in Philadelphia, on the 8th Jlay, 1838, the General Society re- 
solved " that until further orders are given on the subject, the stated meetings of the Society be dus- 
pensed with, and that the future meetings be held when directed by the President General, or in the 
event of his death or absence, by the Vice-President General : and that it shall be the duty of the 
Secretary General to give due notice of the same to the several State Societies of the Cincinnati in 
existence at such times." 

At the Triennial meeting of the General Society held in Charleston, S. C, 14th April, 1881, the 
President General ruled that under the foregoing resolutions of 7th May, 1832, and 8th May, 1838, 
he is authorized to call special or extra general meetings in his discretion. 



Expenses of General 
meetings. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in Baltimore on the 18th May, 1854, it was 
resolved "that in future the expenses of the General meetings of the Society be borne in ecpial propor- 
tions by the State Societies whether represented or not." 



Expenses of the Secre- 
tary General. 



At the special meeting of the General Society, held in Trenton on the 22d May, 1850, it was 
resolved " that the expenses of the Secretary General for printing, &c., contingent on the proceedings 
of the Society, be defrayed from the Treasury of the Society." 



Expenses of General 
otlicei's, how paid. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in Boston on the 29th May, 1872. it was 
resolved "that at the Triennial meetings of the Society, * * the expenses of the 

officers be defrayed out of the funds of the General Society ; Provided, That the expenses of any such 
officers be not paid if he or they be delegates from the State Societies." 



Funds of the General 
Society, where a n d 
how kept. 



At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in the City of New York on the 1 3th May, 
1875, the following resolutions were adopted : 

Resolved, That the Treasurer General be dicectod to deposit the current receipts of moneys from 
the Society's funds in such bank as he may select, with the concurrence of the President General, to 



the credit of tlie General Society of the Cincinnati, subject to the draft of tlie Treasurer General for 
the time being, or, in case of his death, of the Assistant Treasurer. 

Resolved, That the United States bonds belonging to the Society, and any other securities which 
may hereafter be acquired, be invested in the joint names of the Treasurer General and Assistant 
Treasurer General, as trustees, with the right of survivorship, and that in case of any change in cither 
of these officers, from death or other cause, that the said bonds and securities be transferred (from time 
to time) to the actual officers above named and immediately upon the appointment of a new trustee, all 
investments of the Society's securities shall be tnmsferred to the joint names of the then existing trus- 
tees, as joint tenants.* 



* This rule was a substitute for that ailoiited at the special meeting held in Philailelphia on the snth Novem- 
ber. 1848, which required all investments to lie in the names of three trustees, one of whom shall be the Treasurer 
General. 



.Acts of Incorporation 
for the State Societies. 



At the first meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 4th May, 1784, it was 
recommended that " the several State meetings shall, at suitable periods, make applications to their 
respective Legislatures for grants of charters." 

At the special meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 5th 3Iay, 1791, this 
recommendation was repeated. 

The only State Societies which became incorporated in conse( juence of these recoiumondations were 
those in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Pennjsylvania, and South Carolina. 



^quiredTo''coi!form to ^^^ *® triennial meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 19th May, 1787, it 

the Institution. was " Ordered, That the several State Societies be punctual hereafter in communicating to the General 

meeting fair and accurate returns of their respective members, properly authenticated : and that the 
said Societies do, in all thing-s, strictly conform to the principles of the Institution." 



Eligibility to member- 
.ship of ollicers of the 
Nav^' and Marines. 



Construction given by 
."-'tate Societies rela- 
tive thereto. 



Action thereon by the 
General Society. 
1784. 



By the terms of the " Institution," eligibility to original membership in the Cincinnati was ap- 
parently limited to those who had served as commissioned officers in the Li^nd Forces of the United 
States on the Continental Establishment and to certain French officers. 

The State Societies, however, in Massachusetts, Ehode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsyl- 
vania, Maryland, Virginia, and South Carolina, where alone the question appears to have been raised, 
construed these clauses as sanctioning the admission of the regular Continontid Naval and Marine 
officers, otherwise qualified, and, from their organization, acted on this construction, which apparently 
received confirmation in the prii;r admission to membership by the Convention of the American Army 
of the 13th May, 17SS, as embodied in the Institution, of the French Allied Xaval officers who had 
served in command of squadrons or armed vessels on the American coast. 

The General Society at its first meeting in Philadeliihia, 4th-15th May, 1784, evidently accepted 
this interpretation as correct, in the language used in the Amended Institution then proposed to the 
State Societies for adoption, falthough never finally ratified,) wherein, in tho.sc portions which were not 
intended to be a departure from the .spirit or intent of the original Institution, these classes of officer* 
were specifically described as eligible to original membership. 



During the War of the American Revolution several States raised 



ial State volunt.;!:>r regi- 



:-.;rvice as olTicei-s in juunng tlie War ot the American tlevolution several States raised special 

^tate regiments when ^_ _ _ . ". 

counted. ments and independent companies, (other than militia,) "for the defence of the United States in 

general," which were taken into the service of the General Government, and in which officers, who had 



previously or subsequently held " Continental " commissions had served for lonsrer or shorter periods, 
or in which officers had served in the field fulhj three years of the war. These officers had either re- 
signed with honor or been honorably discharged at expiration of the terms of service of these special 
State organizations. 

The question therefore arose a.s to whether, in ascertaining tlio length of service of an officer who 
laid claim to original membership, such field service could be counted either by itself or in addition to 
the service such officer had performed under a Continental commission in a Continental regiment or 
corps in order tocomplete the '■ three years' service " prescribed by the Institution. 

This question included that of the eligibility to membership of the officers of the Rhode Island 
State Bri-ade, who. although holding only State commi.ssions in the 1st or 2d regiments of Infantry, or 
regiment of Artillery, had served conlianoudy over three years of the war under Continental general 
offioere — that brigade having been taken on the Continental establishment by resolution of Congress, 
and raised for the defence of the United States in general. 

In the GeueriU Society, on the ISth May, 1784, "the opinion of the meeting was taken in regard 
to the admission of officers of any individual State to be parties to the Institution of the Cincinnati) 
who had served in time and manner proposed, and in the affirmative." 

The resolution declared - that such officers of the State Troops as have served three years can be 
admitted members." 

Under this rulin"- several valuable original members were admitted in several oi' the State Societies. 



Direct and collateral At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 4th May, 1829, 

descent. „ ^ question having arisen whether, in case of the death of a member having no male issue except a 

" grandson, the issue of a daughter, such grandchild shall be preferred to collaterals. 

"The Society conceives the true construction of the Constitution to be that the grandchild shal' 
" be preferred, he being in the direct line of descent." 



Propo.'Jed Init non- At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in the city of New York, on the 8th May, 

to'lnsUtutior'ar^to l^ol, there was recommended for adoption by the several State Societies, as an amendment to the In- 
menibership. stitution, " An Ordinance relative to the succession and admission of members," by which, among other 

^^^^' propositions, all male descendants of an officer of the Revolution could be admitted. 

The Ordinance also provided that the General Society should have power and authority to admit 
honorary members at its discretion. 
Failure of ratification. It failed, however, to be ratified, and never became valid, as the Marylainl State Society, on the 

5th July, 1852, refused to concur, and the President-General, accordingly, at the next Triennial meet- 
ing, formally announced that the principle of the Original Institution as to succession of members re- 
mained unchanged. 
Original anil hereditary ^i the Triennial meeting of the Gener.d Society, held in the city of Baltimore, 18th May, 1854, 

mem ^^'^'^^V^'- *' "'6' • ^^^^ following resolutions interpreting the Institution respecting the succession and admission of mem- 
bers were unanimously adopted. 

1. " RcsoIi-eJ, That each State Society shall have the full right and power to regulate the admis- 
sion of members, both as to the qualifications of members and tlie terms of admission. Frovhhd, that 
admission be confined to the male descendants of original niembtrs (including collateral branches as 
contemplated by the original Con.stitution), or to the male descendants of such officers of theArmy or 
Navy as may have been'entitled to admission, but who failed to avail themselves thereof within the 
time" limited" by the Constitution ; or to tb.c male descendants of such officers of the Army or Navy of 
the Revolution as may have resigned with honor, or left the service with reputation, or to the male col- 
lateral relative of any officer who died in service without leaving issue. 

2. " Resolved, That the male descendants of those who were members of State Societies which 



10 

have been dissolved, may be admitted into existing State Societies upon such terms as those Societies 
may think proper and prescribe." 

A third resolution required the submission of the other two to the State Societies for their assent 
thereto, but at the special meeting of the General Society held in the City of Trenton, on the 22d May, 
1856, the third resolution requiring assent was unanimously rescinded, in conse([uence of wliich tlie 
resolutions of 1854 became, what they showed themselves to be, merely a declaratory interpretation and 
construction by the General Society of the " Institution " to be accepted in connection with other por- 
tions thereof relative to the same subject matter. 



Reorganization of dis- 
solved State Societies. 



Action thereon in 1811. 



Action tliereon in 1829. 



No definite rule of action has been prescribed by the General Society with a view to the reorgan- 
ization of any dissolved State Society, although the .subject has, at several diflferent times, been 
considered. 

At tlie adjourned Triennial meeting held in Philadelphia on the 8th August, 1811, a committee 
was appointed to ascertain and report on the situation of the several State Societies. This committee, 
by its Chairman, the Hon. Elias Boudinot, LL.D., reported, on the following day, the dissolution of 
the Delaware and certain other State Societies, and the dispersion of their funds and submitted a circu- 
lar letter. 

The report was unanimously adopted, and the Secretary General was instructed to forward the 
letter to the Presidents of the respective State Societies, or to such mrmher thereof as ivould cause it to 
be laid be/ore said Society. 

The circular for Delaware, although that State vSociety had dissolved, was duly authenticated by 
the President General and Secretary Gcieral "by unanimous order," and sent to the care of one of its 
former most influential original members, urging " as the best corrective," despite its dissolution and 
the distribution of its funds, " the immediate renewal of that endeared intercourse," and earnestly 
recommending to that Society to send delegates to a special meeting appointed for the following year. 
In consequence of the decease or dispersion of the Delaware members this recommendation was impos- 
sible of execution. 

At the Triennial meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 5th May, 1829, it 
was resolved : " That the members residing in any State not having a State Society of the Cincinnati 
may form themselves into such State Society " 

This language, although general in its terms, was intended only to authorize members still living 
in States in which their State Societies had been dissolved, to revive and reconstitute such State 
Societies, and was a re-enunciation of the same desire expressed in the prior action of 1811. 

The resolution, although not so limited in words, did not contemplate the organization of a State 
Society in one of the new States of the Union. 

That question had already been considered in the Massachusetts State Society at its annual meet- 
ing, held in Boston on the 4th July, 1S05, in conseciuence of a petition received from Brigadier-Genera' 
the Hon. Eufus Putnam, and other members of that State Society residing in Ohio, praying that a 
certain proportion of the Slassachusetts State Society's fund=, e(iual to what they, the petitioners', liad 
origindly subscribed and paid in. should Ite refunded and transmitted them for the purpose of forming 
a fund fijr a Society of the Cincinnati, which tlioy had thought proper to create in that State. 

The standing committee of the iMassaehu setts State Society unanimously reported adversely to the 
petition for several reasons, and the report was adopted, and, having been duly communicated, no 
further effort was made to continue the informal organization in Ohio. 

The first of these reasons for not favorably considering the petition was that " by the Constitution 
of the Society it was clearly intended to form one family of brethren, to consist of tliirteen cantons, and 
no more, forever. Nor is there any provision either expressed or implied, given either to the General 



11 

meeting or to either of the State Societies, to create an additional Society, or to transfer any part of the 
original funds for this purpose." 

When the order was established in 1 783 there were but thirteen States in the United States of 
America, and, in the absence of provisions in the Institution to the contrary, the Massachusetts Stand- 
ing Committee had good grounds for concluding that additional State Societies in the United States 
were not intended to be created. At the same time it Ls neces,sary to ob.serve that the Institution con- 
tained sjiccial reference to the government of France and [irovided for the admission of a considerable 
number of uificcrs in the service of or resident in tliat St;ite, and tlio first (IcncTal meeting of 17S4 re- 
cognized, ex neccsdtati rei, the Society in I'^-ance on the same basis as the other State Societies. 

In course of time all actually admitted members, either original, hereditary, or honorary in the 
dissolved State Societies passed away, and the resolution of the General Society of the 5th May, 1S20, 
became obsolete. 

While any of them livi^d, however, they considered themselves members of the Order, and were 
always so recognized. 

Incidentally it is to be noticed that none of these dissolved Societies were ever incorporated under 
the laws of their respective States, and in none had dissolution taken place by unanimous acquiescence. 

In Ueorgia dissolution was the result of tho early d(!cease or dispersion of its members, and in 
France dissolution was the result of the Reign of Terror, and subsecjuent uiifrii'Milly Directorate, Con- 
sular or Imperial Administrations. 

In neither of these instances did the members have any direct agency in terminating their meetings. 
Action thereon in 1S72. At the Triennial meeting of the General Society held in Boston, Mass , on the 29th May, 1872, 

the question arose whether the reorganization of dissolved State Societies " required the permission of 
the General Society." 

It was referred to a committee, whose report presented on the following day by its chairman, Rear 
Admiral Henry Knox Thatcher, U. S. Navy, w;is agreed to, although not noted as unanimous. 

The substantive report was as follows : 

" * * * While we are fully convinced of tlie supremo authority of tlie General .Society in such 
matters, and cannot and do not admit the right of any State Society, wliich has once had an existence, and has 
since disbanded, and distributed the fund which was the main basis of their original organization, to resume its 
original status, yet we feel, and so report, after a review of the question presented, that it may lie expedient and 
proper for the General Society to receive and consider any such api)Iication which may lie made, ijrovided that 
the same Is made to the Society after a temiiorary organization has been ell'ected by those applying; satisfactory 
eridence has been presented that the amount of the fund existing at the time of the disl)anilmeiit of tho Society 
has been fully made up (with simple interest from the date of such disbandment), a list being furnislied of the 
descendants of ori'jinal members now residing in the States who desire to revive the organization; and a full 
statement of the facts which induced such disbandment, and the lii.spositiiin made of .^urli funds by the members 
liaving the control of them at that time." 

This report was, in its recommendations, practically inoperative : 

1st. Because the controlling circumstances of dissolution in the case of each dissolved Slate Society 
were not identical. 

2d. Because under ordinary circumstances the descendants of a few claiming hereditary represen- 
tation in a dissolved State Society as large, for example, as was that of Connecticut, would presumably 
be unable to contribute the considerable sum held by it in 1804 with simple interest from that lime to 
date. 

Even if alile to contribute they ought not to be required to make good the deficient funds of 
others, particularly in view of the foet that by individually applying for membership in an existing 
State Society, they would not be required thus to contribute as to others. 

3d. Because those hereditary entitled to membership in right of ancestors, who had neither 
acquiesced in any formal dissolution nor participated in any distriluition of the permanent funds, could 
not thus rightfully be estopped frcjin claiming their hereditary rights, nor could they rightfully be 



Action thereon in 1881. 



12 

required to contribute anew their ancestor's month's pa_y, with interest, in the Society of their own 
State. 

After further consideration of the subject and mature deliberation, the Triennial meeting of the 
General Society, held in Charleston, S. C, on the 13th April, 1881, laid on the table by a decisive 
vote, a motion to reaffirm as the sense of the General Society the foregoing report agreed to in 1872. 

As the subject now rests, the revival of the French or Georgia State Societies will each depend on 
contingencies different from such as would arise in the revival of those of New Hampshire, Connecticut, 
Delaware, Virginia, and North Carolina. 

In any case the General Society would finally have to determine on the validity of such revival, 
even if it did not preliminarily move in the matter. 

Those hereditarily entitled to membership by reason of descent from ancestors who were original 
members in dissolved State Societies, or from ancestors who were entitled to be original members, may, 
itnder the Rule of 1854, if worthy, obtain their hereditary membership in the Order by proper appli- 
cation to one of the existing State Societies. 



The President Gene- 
ral's insigna of the 
Order. 



In 1781 Ilis Excellency, Count d'Estaing, Knight of the Holy Ghost, then the ranking Naval 
officer for duty in France,'*' and Lieutenant-General in the Army, sent to President-General Wash- 
ington the insignia of the Order of the Cincinnati, consisting of the Bald Eagle containing the emblems 
as established, elaborately set in diamonds. 

This was received by him on the 11th May, 1784, while in Philadelphia attending the sessions of 
the General Society of the Cincinnati, and was thenceforth worn. Appropriate acknowledgement was 
made on the 15th May, 1784. 

After President-General Washington's decease, it was transmitted by his heirs to Major General 
Alexander Hamilton who had succeeded to the office of President-General, and, upon the latter's decease, 
liis wife duly sent it to Major General Charles Cotesworth Pinckney, who had in turn succeeded to that 
office. 

The latter, at the meeting of the General Society, held in Philadelphia on the 8th August, 1811, 
presented a memorandum in which he suggested that the diauKind insignia of the Order which had 
thus been confided to him, ought to be thereafter considered a-s appertinent to the office of President- 
General, which suggestion was, on motion, unanimously acceded to. 

Since then it has been worn on suitable occasions by each succeeding President^General. 



* Vice Admiral d'Estaiiig's letter of transmittal was as follows: 



"2lith February, 1784. 



"Sik: 



'It is in tlie name of all tlie French Navy that I take the lil)erty to request your Excellency to accept of an 
AnuM'ican Eagle, expressed rather than emliellished iiy a French artist. 

"Liberty (of which it is the happy and august symbol) has risen of itself, .supported by wisdom, talents, 
and disinterestedness; by every virtue; by General Washinj^ton. Obstacles have only served to increase its 
strength. 

"The eflbrts of a patriot army were irresistible when seconded by the King's troops who have shown them- 
selves by their discipline and conduct worthy of the choice of His Majesty. Those with his navy made every- 
thing possible. 

"It appears then to tie jn-oper in one of those who unites the titles of soldier and sailor, and whom you in- 
siiire with sentiments of the most profcjimd admiration and attachment, to entreat you to receive with indulgence 
an hoina<;e which nuist cease to be unimportant when it shall apjieal to your sensibility. 

"One who has had the hapjiiness to be the first of those whom the' Kim; sent to America, and who has been 
the last of those who were designed to lead thither tlie forces of two jjreat monarchs, thereby acquires the happy 
prerogative of tieiiig entitled to express, thou;;h faintly, the sentiments of all his fellow sailors and soldiers. 

"I have the honor to be, with r&spect. sir, 

" Your Excellency's most obedient and 

"Most humble servant, 

"ESTAINO." 



18 

MiiuitL's of OeiRMiil The method of keejiinn iIr' iiiimilrs of the iirocccdnigs of meetings of the General Society has 

Society nicotings. f^,,^^^,^^ parliamentary practi.* 

On several oei'a.sions temiiorary ilircctions have been f^ven, but the only cine now in force was 
passed at the Triennial Meeting held in the City of New York, on the l-lth May, 1803, and directed 
"that the name of the mover of a ni(iti(]M alone need be recorded, and not that nf the person who 
seconded it. 



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